For a time in the late '80s, Steve Earle was the brightest hope to merge the best aspects of hard country and rock & roll. That bright hope burned out in a big way, as Earle self-destructed and dropped out musically. The good news is that he's back, and on the intimate but potent "Train A Comin" he remains a force with which to be reckoned. Working with a small, expert band that includes Peter Rowan, Norman Blake and Roy Huskey and the great Emmylou Harris chiming in, Earle works through a set of mostly older compositions and covers including the reggae standard "The Rivers of Babylon" and the Beatles' "I'm Looking Through You."